Mock Trials and Trepidations
by aleezakq2
Summary: Tags to Play The Man. In the aftermath of the mock trial, Mike faces challenges with his boss and his secretary who seem adamant on giving him the cold shoulder. Feeling a bit lost and defeated, Mike is contacted by an old friend from his childhood days amidst his greatest time of need for a friend.
1. Chapter 1

Mike was so lost. He had no clue on how to proceed after the disaster of the mock trial. His mentor was heavily disappointed in him, Rachel hated his guts for reasons she refused to hear, and Donna was on Harvey's side in nearly every endeavor. Aside from the three of them, Mike realized how many people were really lacking in his social circle. He could literally count his 'friends' on one hand.

Sighing, Mike got up from his desk and began to pack his things. There really was no point in staying in the one place he well and truly didn't belong unless he wished to be subjected to hateful glares all day, not that there was much of the day left. If he was gonna be all alone in the office then he might as well be alone somewhere a little more comfortable, like his apartment.

While he was packing some unfinished files into his satchel, Mike's eyes were drawn to a bright, yellow post-it note sitting on his desk. He must of missed it when he arrived and accidentally covered it with a never ending stack of briefs. Momentary panic took over for a few seconds thinking he might have missed a memo from Louis, or worse, Harvey, but it quickly subsided upon realizing that no one gave him grief for missing it. And if it really was urgent, he was sure that a post-it was the last form of communication anyone would use.

Quickly putting away the needed files, Mike focused his attention on the note. The handwriting was definitely Donna's but it didn't seem like they were her words. Of course, it was a flimsy deduction considering there were no words, only a phone number. Now not only was he feeling lost but he also felt utterly confused. Why would Donna leave a post-it on his desk without any context whatsoever? Was he expected to approach her about it? Did she _want_ him to approach her? Doubt it. She and Harvey have wiped their hands of him for sure. Harvey for obvious reasons and Donna because her loyalty lies with Harvey at all times. Still, none of that explained the mysterious post-it note. Deciding it was better to just ask Donna rather than play detective, Mike grabbed the note and headed for her desk.

On his way there, he felt a strange sense of nervousness. Donna wasn't exactly going to kill him (though she was perfectly capable of doing so) but he hadn't interacted with either Harvey or Donna since his pathetic defeat in the mock trial. Admittedly, he was a bit scared of their reactions to seeing him after his embarrassing performance. Why was he even asking Donna about this note? Why not just call the number and find out for himself? Somewhere deep down, Mike knew he was using it as an excuse to exchange some words (hostile or otherwise) with the only friends he had in the office and outside of it too. He really just wanted to see them, maybe even be able to explain himself to Harvey though he knew that possibility was next to non-existent.

When Mike arrived at Harvey's office, the nervousness grew into something heavier and more real. He didn't realize how anxious he was until he noticed his hands slightly trembling. Taking a deep breath, Mike strengthened his resolve and straightened his posture before walking towards Donna. He hadn't even fully reached the desk yet when she spoke,

"He doesn't have time for you, Mike."

Her voice was cold, hard, and downright unimpressed. If that didn't make him second guess his trip down here, he doesn't know what else would.

Mike swallowed hard and tried to maintain his posture and feigned confidence. Donna wasn't looking at him but he didn't need to ask how she knew it was him. Like everything else, she just knew.  
Trying very hard to not sound distraught and nervous, Mike moved closer and extended the hand holding the post-it note.

"Uh, this was on my desk..and...I thought I'd ask if you knew what this is for."

The secretary looked up from her work and eyed the post-it note, recognition sparking in her eyes before gazing back down at her papers. She remained silent for a few moments, as if to decide whether it was worth responding to his question or if she should simply leave him be. In the end, she decided that the quicker the response, the quicker he was to leave before Harvey noticed him.

"I got a call from someone asking to speak with you. She insisted that I leave a message for you otherwise she wasn't letting me hang up." As if to imply that she went out of her way to plant that note and that the action brought her much distress. Which, if he were honest with himself, she probably did feel exactly that. Not much of Mike's dignity was left to be salvaged at this point.

It was only later when the words caught up with him that Mike became more concerned with the caller and why she'd specifically request him. Perhaps she left a name.

"Did she leave a name or some point of reference? Other than the number. "

Noticing the change of tone in his voice, Donna looked Mike in the eye held his gaze for a few seconds, trying to interpret what this caller must mean to him. As far as she knew, Mike didn't have a whole lot of friends outside of his office life, which secretly made her feel rather guilty for giving him the cold shoulder like this.

"She did, actually. But it was such a foreign name that I neglected to write it down altogether. Though she did mention the name 'Kimi' a couple times."

"Oh."

Donna didn't need to ask Mike whether or not he knew her. His pale face seemed to say quite a lot on its own.

* * *

A/N: Hope that was a fun read. I apologize for an grammatical errors since I'm using my phone to post this. I hope to have the second chapter up soon.


	2. Chapter 2

He doesn't know when or how or at what speed even but all he remembers is his awkward conversation with Donna and then the next thing he knows, he's sitting on his couch with his phone clutched in hand.

Everything in between is a complete blur to Mike. Somewhere between then and now, all he could think was, _NO WAY, NO WAY, NO WAY!_

When reality finally kicks in, Mike realizes how sore his body is and that his breathing is awfully erratic. His chest feels tight, his hands are shaking, his mind is racing, and worst of all, his phone has a number punched in already. Mike doesn't need to refer back to that post-it note to recall whose number it is.

Shaking out of his panicked reverie, the junior associate hastily checks to see if the call has been put through. He isn't ready to face the person on the other end and he doesn't want to do it without mentally preparing himself for the conversation ahead. Which, now that he thinks about, he isn't sure exactly _how_ to proceed with. Is he angry? Sad? Happy? Confused? If he's honest with himself, Mike feels a bit of everything but he doesn't let that thought run free. There is no way that this conversation is going to happen while he feels extremely jumbled.

Taking a deep breath, Mike decides that he feels happy. And why shouldn't he? After being shunned by the only people he calls friends, the young man actually feels ecstatic to hear that there is someone left. That there's a way to salvage his social life even if it means that he be friends with one person for the rest of his life but deep down inside, Mike already knows that she means way more than just a friend to him. She's his family in all but blood and he'll happily take her back into his life, no questions asked.

Unwilling to prolong it any further in fear of second guessing his decision, Mike firmly grips his phone and puts the call through. With trembling hands, he brings the phone up to his ear where he picks up the tail end of the sound of it dialing.  
It's agony to wait but he preservers. This is one thing he will not let go of, not again at least.

Mike is just about to hang up the call feeling that she might not pick up but the second he draws the phone away from his ear, there's a faint hello on the other end of the line.

For a minute, everything stops. Mike had so much prepared to say when he was waiting and now all that has escaped him. He tries to make his tongue form words but nothing is under his control in that moment. Fortunately for Mike, she didn't seem to have minded. It's almost as if she knows what he's feeling.

Right before he is about to mutter a hello, she sighs.

"This is kinda awkward, isn't it? Me calling you out of the blue like this."

He's not sure what to say to that, so he says nothing. Taking Mike's silence as a cue to keep going, she continues to explain.

"I'm sorry, Mike. For suddenly intruding on your life without so much as a warning. I'm sorry for all the emotional turmoil you undoubtedly faced in the years after your parents died. I'm ju-"

"It's ok." Mike's not sure where that came from, especially since he was at such a loss for words a few short moments ago. But then she started talking and he felt all his tension melt at the sound of her voice. He didn't care anymore. He was just happy to hear her talk.

"It's ok." He repeats. "I'm just glad you called. You don't know how much I've needed you even if I hadn't realized it till just now."

His voice breaks a little towards the end and the fact that there are tears rushing down his face doesn't register at all with him. Mike just wants to cry now. He's suddenly overwhelmed with feelings of relief and sorrow and happiness and despair all at once that he doesn't realize he's been outright sobbing until she shushes him through the phone.

"Oh sweetie, no, no, stop crying. It's ok, alright? I'm here now and I won't let anything happen to you. I swear on my life baby boy, nothing's gonna happen to you."

Mike chuckles at that, broken and croaky but filled with warmth nonetheless.

"It's not that, Kimi. I'm just so happy to hear you again."

He hears her let out a breathy laugh at that and he wonders how she understood him, what with all his sniffling.

"Well, I'm glad to hear that. I was thinking maybe you wanted nothing to do with me. Or worse, maybe you'd forgotten me." Mike had detected a bit of sarcasm in that last part.

"I think you've got the wrong Mike Ross then cause I couldn't have forgotten you even if I tried."

"Ah, that's right. I forgot how cheeky you are, Meeku."

At the mention of his nickname, Mike quickly sobers up. There's so much he didn't realize he missed about her, like how she treated him with such fondness. He'll never admit it to anyone but himself but he really wants that back. For someone to care about him the way Kimi cared about him when he was a kid.

"Meeku? Mike? You still there, sweetie?"

"Y-yea. I'm here. I just..I was just reminiscing, that's all."

Kimi laughed and said, "I can imagine that with a brain like yours, it's easy to get lost in your thoughts, huh?"

Wiping the remnants of tears from his eyes, Mike gets up from the couch and walks over to his little dining table. Still holding on tightly to the phone, Mike sits down and gazes out of his tiny window, just in time to see a rabbit run across the yard.

"Any chance that we can meet? Preferably, now?"

Mike didn't want to wait any longer than necessary for this is one person he needs right now at this very moment. He hopes that the hesitancy in his voice hasn't traveled through the phone because he doesn't want her to think less of him. Why he'd suddenly started to feel rather self-conscious is beyond him but he can't help feel that this entire situation is too surreal for his liking. Mike doesn't want to wake up from all of this just for it to be a dream.

"Of course. What's the hurry little man?" she asked. Mike catches an undertone of despair in her question and the way it's softly spoken, as if she's worried he's in some sort of trouble. The least he can do is rectify that. So he responds with the most straightforward response he can come up with.

"I-I need you. Right now."

Then suddenly there are tears again and he can feel his breath hitching before he starts to full-out cry. He needs her. He needs his best friend, sister, and surrogate mom. He just needs to put his arms around her again, to smell her scent and feel her close and know that he's not alone. He doesn't want to be alone anymore. Mike thinks this is his breaking point before he hears Kimi crying on the other end. It's quiet and barely audible and Mike knows she's trying to keep it together for his sake but he can feel it just as much as he can hear it and that's when he knows. That's when he knows that Kimi needs him just as much, if not more.

"What." She pauses and Mike can hear her composing herself. "You thought I'd make you wait? Clearly you have forgotten me."

And then she laughs. She laughs out of pure joy and love and Mike finds himself laughing with her.

"You're right. How silly of me." He smiles to himself though he knows Kimi can't see it.

"Indeed. Now clean up, will ya? I'll be over in a bit."

It's the first time in weeks that Mike smiles so brightly.

"Aye, aye Cap'n."

* * *

 **A\N: I hope I did justice to your expectations. I know that the character for Kimi is a little vague but I didn't intend to reveal much about her yet. Otherwise I won't have much to write about her in the later chapters but I hope you got a sense of how important she is to Mike. Cause she's hella important to him. LOL**

 **Feedback is always welcome and I would hope you take the time to read and review.**

 **I'll try and update soon, yea?**


	3. Chapter 3

After Mike ends the phone call with Kimi, he quickly types in his address and texts it to her. His hands are shaking still but this time, it's out of poorly contained excitement.

And then suddenly he freezes.

Mike can't believe it. All those years he thought she was dead, all those moments when he cried for her. He wants to laugh now. It's like the Earth has tilted on its axis and everything is falling apart (or coming together in his case), almost like this is how it's meant to be. Tilted and off-balance.

Not even bothering to control the wide grin on his face, Mike begins to tidy up. He puts away all the mail on his coffee table into a folder stuffed in the shelf, he grabs the broom and haphazardly sweeps the entire apartment, he wipes down the counters and shelves so that there's not even a speck of dust to be seen. All in all, he cleans like he's never cleaned before which isn't as much of a metaphorical statement than it is fact.

Not long after he sits down on the couch, there's a knock at the door. Before he knows it, Mike is on his feet, rushing towards the entrance and just as he's about to open the door, he stops.

 _Breathe in, breathe out. Relax, Mike. This can't be all that different from the last time you met her._

With great anticipation, Mike opens his front door at a leisurely pace so as to not seem so eager. He's greeted with the most nostalgic and wonderful sight of his life.

"Mike. I know this isn't a very good conversation starter but your apartment building looks like shit from the outside."

Mike makes no moves to indicate that he's heard her and just stares at her with a goofy smile on his face. He can't help but notice that her hair is still the same shoulder length and burgundy in shade. There's a faint scar over her right eye overlapping her thin eyebrow, but other than that she hasn't changed much.

Mike notices Kimi shuffling a little awkwardly as he's forcing her to stand out in the hall for no other reason than the fact that he zoned out. Quickly realizing the position he's putting her in, Mike steps back to give Kimi some room to enter. At least he has the good grace to look at least slightly abashed for his actions. Since he had shifted his gaze to the floor, the young man was startled to feel a hand cup his cheek. It's small, or smaller than what he remembers, but it still holds the same warmth and softness that he'd grown accustomed to.

He's brought of his musing when Kimi speaks,

"This must be a little overwhelming for you, huh honey?"

Mike meets Kimi's gaze and reaches up to clasp her hand in his.

"A bit. But in the best way possible."

Kimi seems caught off guard at that comment. Obviously she's been expecting some sort of backlash or resentment for what she supposedly did wrong. Mike doesn't want her to even think that he might be mad at her because he's not, so in order to make her understand how genuinely glad he is for her coming back, Mike steps forward and hugs Kimi tight. He can feel her tense minutely for a split second but she's to quick to respond with a hug back.

This is the moment he's dreamed of several times. The way he can feel her steady heartbeat, her hair tickling his forehead and cheek, the way her scent is strongest between her neck and shoulder with his arms wound tightly around her.

"You really missed this, didn't you? I can tell because I can't breathe." Kimi says this with a hint of humour and her voice sounds a bit airy, which is why Mike let's go of her in a rush.

When he pulls back, she's nothing but smiles and he blushes out of embarrassment.

"Sorry, I didn't realize."

"No need to apologize, Mister. I missed your hugs more than anything in the world."

She reaches forward and cups his face in her hands. Mike becomes aware of the tears forming in his eyes for the third time that night and before he can do anything about it, Kimi's thumbs are already there, wiping away the rushing tears pouring down his cheeks. She looks like she herself is about to cry but manages to keep herself together. It's more than what Mike is able to accomplish so he doesn't say anything.

He's about to remark on how emotional this is and if they keep this up, they'll never have time to catch up. He doesn't get the chance to say it when there's another knock at the door.

Not expecting any visitors aside from Kimi, Mike gives his closest friend a confused yet apologetic look. She acknowledges this as a surprise visit and offers Mike an encouraging smile.

"No worries, little man. I'll just scope out this man cave while you sort things out."

He scoffs at the 'man cave' reference and moves to open the door while Kimi makes herself comfortable.

He yanks the door open as he's annoyed at the fact that his reunion has been interrupted but then Mike is met with the sight of his boss and his secretary, both looking awfully uncomfortable and irritated. Harvey, a bit more irritated and Donna just looks plain uncomfortable.

"W-what are you guys doing here?" he chokes out.

Mike thinks that maybe Harvey looks extremely out of place and probably feels the same as well. He notices how he won't make eye contact with him instead opting to look past him and into his apartment. Donna, on the other hand, seems more in control. Her body language is less tense than Harvey's and she's looking at Mike rather inquisitively.

"We need to talk. And before you even think it, I'm not here because Donna said so."

Not only did that earn Harvey a look from Donna but Mike felt himself get a little angry.

"So basically, you're here because Donna said so." Mike leaves a pause in the middle for it to sink in. "You don't honestly expect me to believe that you, self proclaimed heartless bastard, are here to talk things out of your own volition because the Harvey that I know, or at least _think_ I know, doesn't talk about anything."

Donna, immediately assuming the role of mediator, steps forward and effectively cuts Harvey off before he says anything he might (read: will) regret and turns to Mike with a pleading look in her eyes.

"Just hear us out, okay? You don't have to say anything but will you at least listen?"

"Even if I wanted to, now's not a good time. I'm busy."

"With what?" asks Harvey.

"Oh so _now_ you give a shit about my personal life."

Harvey's full out glaring at his associate at this point even though he understands Mike's resentment. Still, he doesn't like being on the receiving end of it.

"You're right, I don't give a da-" Harvey's unable to finish the sentence because he gets cut off by a voice behind Mike.

"Now, now, Mike. Behave. That's not how you greet people at the door."

Mike turns around to face the person behind him and softens his expression.

"Sorry, Kimi. But they're not strangers. They're just work colleagues."

The omission of the words 'boss' and boss's secretary' aren't lost on the two.

"Wait. Kimi?" All eyes turned to Donna in question.

"How do _you_ know her?"

"I don't, Mike, but I was the one to answer her call, remember?"

Kimi's eyes brighten in recognition and steps forward to face Donna. "Now I remember why your voice sounds so familiar. Thank you, by the way, for forwarding my number to him. I know I didn't specifically ask you to but I really appreciate it nonetheless."

Mike turns to stare at Donna wide eyed, clearly having mistook Donna's attitude earlier that day. He was certain that the secretary was unhappy with having to forward that message for him and he was under the impression that she would rather have not wasted her precious time on him.  
It doesn't help that Donna herself looks slightly embarrassed (a look not seen on her often) and gives Mike an apologetic smile.

"It was no big deal. I did it mainly for my own convenience." _I was trying to avoid icy encounters with the puppy._

 _"_ Are we going to talk or are we wasting our time here?" says Harvey. "Because it's not nice to keep your boss waiting."

"He's your boss? Mike! Why didn't you say that before?" Kimi quickly grabs Mike by his arm and gently steers him inside, effectively clearing the way for his "work colleagues" to enter. Harvey and Donna are quick to oblige and are inside the apartment before Mike has even reached the couch. He doesn't want to confront them when he and Kimi were in the middle of an important conversation (more like emotional turmoil) and has no desire to air his dirty laundry to his oldest and closest friend because for as long as Mike can remember, the very few friendships he did establish in his life all diminished because of someone's personal drama. So he understandably doesn't want to take that chance right now, not when he just got Kimi back.

Donna sits herself on the far end of the couch and faces Mike. She realizes immediately that Mike's trying to make himself unknown, for what reason she can't decide, but it makes him look utterly pathetic. She continuously watches him so as to make eye contact but the kid won't even look away from the floor. Turning to face Harvey, she motions for him to take a seat but her boss doesn't budge. He instead chooses to sit at the kitchen table, distant from the confrontation-to-be but close enough to contribute. Donna eyes him critically and tries to communicate her dissatisfaction through her gaze but is effortlessly ignored.

Meanwhile, Kimi has stationed herself in the kitchen, noises of pots and glasses clattering followed by the aroma of coffee. Some few minutes later, she's in the living room with a tray full of coffee mugs, pots of milk and sugar, and a plate with some cookies to go with it. Kimi sets it down on the table and smiles at Donna.

"I know it's a bit unconventional to serve coffee so late in the evening but this little man has absolutely nothing."

At this point, Kimi's shooting Mike an intense disapproving look and moves to sit on the armrest that Mike is sitting next to. Harvey has yet to speak or offer any words of introduction, so Donna takes it upon herself to steer this conversation in a more appropriate direction.

"So, uh, how are you and Mike related?" If she notices Mike tense at her question, she doesn't acknowledge it.

"Oh. Well..we go way back. I was his babysitter, initially, but when his parents died, I took him in for a couple months before complications arose."

"What kind of complications?"

Mike is looking at her too and it dawns on the secretary that maybe this is information that Mike wasn't privy to either.

"I'm afraid I can't tell you that. It's too personal."

Donna nods her head slowly and focuses on Mike. He's still looking at Kimi but it's a sad, regretful type of look. She starts to wonder what really happened to change their living circumstances. And then something occurs to her that doesn't make any sense.

"You said you were Mike's babysitter but you're so young. You couldn't possibly have been that much older than Mike to babysit him."

Kimi lets out a nervous laugh and starts to look a little uncomfortable. She was secretly hoping hat no one would mention the differences in their age, not because Donna was right but because it makes her feel so self-conscious and it's road she doesn't want to go down again.

"Yea, about that. I'm flattered that you think I'm in my early twenties but I'm really not. I just don't age that fast. I'm well into my mid thirties now."

"No." Donna is unaware of her hanging jaw and bulging eyes.

"Yes." Kimi's staring at her lap a little awkwardly but quickly brushes it off by turning to Harvey.

"So, you're his boss, huh? How's he been doing?" Her hand is resting on top of Mike's head now and is slowing rubbing her thumb in circles at the back of his head. Kimi is looking at Harvey with a smile on her face which slowly dissipates when she notices the tension in the room intensify.

"Well, he's got much to learn, that's for sure." Straight to the point, as usual.

"Oh. I'm sure he'll catch on. Mike's always been smart that way."

"Clearly not." It's the first time Mike has spoken, though very softly, since he sat down and is still staring intently at the floor as he says it. Then suddenly he's not staring at the floor any more is staring at Harvey instead, eyes hard and hollow. "Whatever it is that you want to say, can it wait? I mean, it's not like I don't want to hear you fire me and all, but I'd rather hear it where my dignity isn't being compromised."

That raises several eyebrows.

And then Harvey is talking and his voice is basically pouring with sarcasm.  
"Oh, I'm sorry, Mike. Forgive me for not realizing how important your dignity is to you. It's a little hard to remember that when you seemed to have forgotten it right before you lost."

Mike straightens his posture defensively and retorts, "I knew you were an asshole but I didn't think you were an insensitive prick."

"Woah, woah. Slow down cowboys, this was supposed to be civilized", says Donna. She's standing in between the two of them for the second time with her arms held out towards the both of them. She turns to Kimi with an awkward smile and says, "I'm sorry. This was a bad time, we'll come back later."

Kimi's not listening though as she's observing the two men glare the living daylights out of each other. They haven't wavered in the slightest. Mike is tense and his breathing has become faster while Harvey is sitting straighter with his arms crossed. Her expression becomes sad and then as if Donna's words have just registered with her, gives a quick smile.

"Don't worry about it. In fact, I'd rather you resolve this here and now."

Kimi's voice is authoritative and Donna almost feels like throwing in a salute to complete the look she was giving her. Donna chances a glance at the two males in front of her and thinks about how this might play out. _Not good, that's how._

"I realize that I'm new to this conflict so enlighten me. What the hell is going on? Losing? Mike, where do you work?"

Mike is still tense and rigid but when he meets Kimi's gaze, his posture deflates. He's not looking at his friend anymore, opting to look at his feet instead, and says nothing. When it becomes apparent that she's not getting a response, Kimi turns to Harvey. Her face is set in stone and she's ready to fight tooth and nail for Mike despite being unaware of the entire situation. After all, Harvey is an unknown threat to her as far as she's concerned.

Harvey sighs deeply and takes on a contemplative look before saying, "He's my associate. I'm an attorney and I hired Mike as my associate at Pearson Hardman three months ago."

Kimi's face pales considerably and slowly turns to look at Mike. Her voice is low and hesitant.

"You work...at a law firm? You're a lawyer? But...you're only twenty. How in the hell did you manage that? And don't even lie about having gone to law school."

Now it's Mike who becomes sheet white as he ducks his head between his hunched shoulders. He has a feeling that the next few hours will not be pleasant.

Donna and Harvey are slack-jawed at this new information and are silently wondering how it never occurred to them. Before Donna is able to reign in her shock and pacify the situation a little, Harvey is already on his feet with shock written all over his face.

"You're twenty years old? You lied about your age?" Mike detects an undercurrent of stronger anger in his boss's voice.

Previous issue forgotten, everyone is staring at Mike with unimpressed looks. Mike glances at the rest of the three briefly before offering a sheepish smile.

"Hah. Surprise?"

"You are in so much trouble, little man."

* * *

A/N: Ahhh okay so this chapter was fun to write though I kind of struggled with the dialogue. I hope you guys like the read though. And I hope was able to portray the awkward tension in the air the entire time. LOL

Read and review please! I tend to be motivated to continue when there are reviews. :P


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: Hey guys, so sorry for the delayed update. I got really busy with school and stuff, so I never had the chance to write this next chapter until now. Hope you're not disappointed with it, though I should mention that the next chapter will also be a flashback.**

 **Also, part of the reason for this delay has been my obsession with White Collar and coming up with fic ideas for it against my will. Forgive me, I'm trying.**

* * *

 _"Michael, honey, what are you doing over there?"_

* * *

The sun was vividly bright that day and the wind was just breezy with a touch of cold. The year was transitioning into fall and Mike could remember quite distinctly (as his photographic qualities would allow) what drew him to the edge of the pond that day.

Mike's mother was really fond of sightseeing. Her job didn't allow her much time to spend with her son, much less to explore the outdoors but on days like that, she would take him along every chance she got.

That year was tough for the Ross family. Money was tight since his father had been laid off of work and was continuously struggling to land another job. His mother, who didn't earn a very high salary, became the sole bread-winner of the house and it started to put a lot of pressure on their financial status and marital relationship. They fought a lot that year, mostly about nothing and everything at the same time but it very rarely ever ended up with them mad at each other for too long. When it did drag out overnight, Mike made it a habit to sleep early so that when they started yelling at each other intermittently, he'd be in too much of a deep sleep to contemplate it. It was his tactic to stay stress-free.

But then one day Mike's mother came home with tears streaming down her face and his father, who had been relegated to baby-sitting duties for the time being, was the first one to be greeted by her. Mike had never seen his parents as emotionally synchronized as they were that day. Not a word was spoken as his mom dropped her bags on the floor and practically flew into his father's arms. His dad was already standing with his arms wide open, as if he'd felt her distress miles before she'd reached home. It was the most treasured memory of his despite the depressing environment it created but he cherished that moment as it proved to be a testament to the bond they shared. It reassured him that no matter how much they fought that year, his mom and dad were too in love to even consider separating from each other. It was his biggest fear that year and thankfully, it was laid to rest that same day.

It turned out that his mother had also lost her job over some silly office politics or something which he didn't care to delve into the details much for. All he knew was that his parents needed him to be strong, to not worry them with his fear of the unknown and the future of his parents. He was here to be their support and he'd be damned if he let that slip up.

Except he did let it slip up when his mother found him hiding in the closet with puffy eyes and swollen cheeks. She'd asked him what was wrong, if he was hurt, and Mike couldn't find it in himself to lie. He looked at her with wide, vulnerable blue eyes and his mother had understood. She simply smiled and crouched in front him with her arms open, her own eyes glistening with unshed tears. Not a moment of hesitation when Mike had crashed straight into her loving embrace.

That same afternoon, his mother and father had proposed to go for a stroll. No need to sit around at home and surround themselves with pity when they could be outside sightseeing. Admittedly, his mother was more excited about the prospect of bird watching than Mike and his father but the gleaming look in his mother's eyes was enough to make them both hold their tongue.

As it turned out, Mike was glad they went for a walk. The air was crisp and refreshing and it was a welcome change from the dreary atmosphere back in the house. Not only did he get to pet random peoples' dogs but he got to feed some squirrels and birds at the local park. It wasn't lost on his parents of Mike's lack of interaction with children his age but Mike felt too much of an outsider to even want to initiate a conversation with the other kids. They seemed like they were too cool for him and quite frankly, he was too intimidated (and a little jealous) of their already established friendships with whom they seemed very close to. Mike didn't think he'd fit in a crowd like that.

So instead he opted to go closer to the pond where he could feed some of the ducks that were resting there. That was when he noticed someone else near the edge of the pond. She was tall and skinny with hair as long as Rapunzel's (not really but he was a kid and long hair was really long to him), and her hair was a velvety shade of burgundy that glistened in the sun. She was gesturing to throw something in the pond and Mike was curious as to whether or not it was food she was tossing. He noticed that the ducks weren't really drawn to her so it was probably something else.

As he got closer to the pond, Mike didn't notice the root of the tree that was jutting out from the grass. His eyes were fixated on the object in the woman's hand and right when he was able to get a closer look, he tripped and fell face first into the grass. The next thing he knew was Rapunzel helping him up and brushing off the dirt from his pants and speaking to him in panicked tones, as if she was the one who'd pushed him.

Mike was struggling to speak, mostly because that fall had really knocked the breath out of him, but also because he was captured by the woman's bright hazel eyes. She was still speaking to him when he regained focus and Mike finally found it in him to respond.

"I'm ok, I'm ok. Really. You can stop worrying."

The woman exhaled really deeply before looking back at him with a soft smile. "Glad to hear that. For a second it seemed like you passed out."  
A breathless chuckle escaped her lips shortly after and her arms shifted to rest on her knees instead of his shoulders.

"Mike, honey, what are you doing over there?"

* * *

Mike's mother had been searching for him when she'd heard a faint gasp from behind her. Upon turning around, she had witnessed Mike's encounter with the woman who helped him back up and couldn't help but smile at her son's shock. It was a little disheartening to see Mike struggling to interact with other people but she was proud of him for not running away like he usually does. He may not bring home sports trophies or adventurous stories of his friends but she learned to celebrate the little things in life. Like Mike's progress with other people.

She waited for the woman to finish speaking before calling out to her son. When she got closer to the two, she smiled at the hazel eyed woman before her.

The hazel eyed woman returned it and turned to Mike. "So your name is Mike, huh? That's a cute name."

Mike was jolted out of his reverie but was quick to respond. "It's short for Michael. Like Michael Angelo."

"Wow. I'm surprised you know who that is." Mike felt like he should have been offended at that but the twinkle in her eyes only made him shy away.

"I, uh, read a lot. I once read a book about Renaissance artists and their contribution to modern day technology."

The hazel eyed woman seemed speechless and she turned to Mike's mother with a very impressed look.

"I didn't quite catch your name."

"Nina Ross."

"Mrs. Ross, your son is incredibly intelligent. He's something a lot of children never will be when they grow older."

Nina glanced at Mike fondly before looking the woman in her eyes and say, "I know, and I'm extremely proud of him."

Mike's breath caught in his throat and he could feel tears welling in his eyes. He turned away from the two women to look at the pond so that they didn't realize how emotional he was getting but was momentarily distracted from all that when he saw something shining in the pond. His mother and the woman forgotten, Mike reached down and submerged his hand in the water. He could hear his mother and the woman exchanging conversation, but he ignored it in favour of observing the ring in his hand. It was small and silver, with a row of small diamonds on the top. Mike was no expert but he knew for sure those diamonds were real. Synthetic diamonds didn't reflect light as bright as these diamonds did.

He weighed the ring in his hand to find out that it was incredibly light. Of course, he read somewhere that weight didn't dictate the value of a diamond but he couldn't help but feel a little relieved. Having something lighter seemed less of a responsibility.

But then suddenly, Mike was struck with an idea. What if this diamond ring could help alleviate some of the financial issues his family was facing? The thought had barely crossed his mind when Nina approached him.

"Mike, what have you got there?"

He turned to see his mom and the other woman (whose name he still didn't know) staring at him. He didn't have a chance to speak before the hazel eyed woman said, "Ah, I was hoping that thing had been eaten by now."

"This is yours?" asked Mike.

A brief look of longing passed through the woman's eyes before she willed it away.

"Yes. It was my engagement ring but, my fian-, my ex-fiance ended it not long after proposing. I figured it was easier to throw it away. It seemed like a great stress reliever." Her tone was casual and care-free but her tense and rigid posture did little to hide her anxiety.

"I'm so sorry to hear that, dear." said Nina. She seemed genuinely sympathetic for a woman she'd just met which is probably what prompted her to ask a stranger over for dinner.

The woman, whose name turned out to be Kimi, considerably brightened at the suggestion and readily agreed. By the end of it, Kimi and Nina were exchanging numbers with Nina providing her home address, and before Mike realized, he and his mother were walking back towards James.

On the drive back home, when Nina retold their encounter with Kimi to James, she continuously mentioned the lonely look in Kimi's eyes and how difficult it must of been for her engagement to end. Mike always knew his mother was highly receptive to other people's feelings but this time she seemed like someone had physically wounded her with a knife. Naturally, he couldn't help but ask.

"How do you know she's that lonely?"

Nina turned around in her seat and softly smiled at him. "It's not something you know, Mike. It's something you feel."


End file.
